Manual versus Auto Transmission Cars

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Driving in Africa cannot get better! You have a choice to make. Do you want to drive manual or automatic? Manual, they say, is more masculine. However, what does ego has to do with pressing in the clutch every so often until you feel as if your kneecap will pop out? While many men would naturally choose the manual transmission in keeping with their masculine nature, ladies are more inclined to the auto-transmission car. They just cannot stand the complexity of manual transmission cars. What about you? Which one do you prefer?

Let us begin by looking at the differences of these two. The basic meaning of the term “transmission” is the machinery that is involved in transmitting power from the engine to the wheels of the car.

Manual transmission

The gear lever of a manual transmission carImage Source: http://media.ed.edmunds-media.com

In the case of the manual transmission car (MT), the driver shifts the gears manually using a gear stick. The gear stick operates in a frame arranged in an H pattern. With the MT cars, the driver has to press the clutch pedal so that the gear stick can be shifted to the required position. These types of cars often require the driver to understand the sound of the engine-the higher the pitch of the engine sound, the higher the gear needed to sustain motion and the health of the engine.

Looking at the cost of this type of vehicle, you will find that on average, it costs $1000 cheaper than its automatic transmission counterpart. Also, maintenance of the manual car is much lower compared to the automatic. This is because the automatics require more servicing. This car is also more fuel efficient as the driver can regulate the rate of fuel uptake depending on the requirements. Additionally, mechanics find it very easy to repair manual gear boxes as compared to the automatic ones, the fact that automatic ones spoil more quickly notwithstanding.

Automatic Transmission

Manual or automatic?Image Source: www.lookers.co.uk

On the other hand, the automatic transmission cars (AT), the car shifts the gears by itself, depending on the speed and acceleration. The gear stick of an AT has different settings from those of the MT in that the writings are a bit more user-friendly. Words such as Reverse, neutral and drive are used instead of the L, R etc used in MT cars. Many of the cars operating in Africa today are MT, but the numbers are quickly diminishing due to replacement by the AT.

The AT vehicle is very convenient as the car does most of the things for the driver from clutch balancing (torque) to gear shifting etc. This vehicle is thus easier to learn to drive and to control than the manual one. Among the disadvantages include lack of control on fuel consumption leading to more gas consumption as compared to the MT.

So, which one suits you?

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— Ngugi K.

Ngugi Karani, from Nairobi Kenya, has been writing for Afroautos since its inception. He believes that Africa needs better road transport for transformation. He writes on technology, development and cars. He is inspired by the spirit and passion of the African people to rise above all odds.